I believe in all parts of a system having purpose, accountability, flexibility, and dependability. This applies both to software and, even more so, people. I believe in systems that enhance the ability of their constituent components to communicate and collaborate effectively. From a software standpoint, this manifests as a love of small, directed, highly composable services that define exactly what they will and, just as importantly, will not do. On the human side, I am an advocate of teams composed of many varied personalities, backgrounds, and methodologies united by a common passion.My main experience and passion is with Ruby, specifically in Rails applications. I'm familiar with the beginnings, when design considerations are often shelved in the name of velocity, and also with the more advanced age, when that lack of design has left the team with a codebase that has become a rigid, highly opinionated, pain to develop in. With all things I do, I look to write software that cares most about clarity and ability to change. In the startup space, the most important speed is the speed at which one can change, be that for the sake of the product or for the sake of performance. Flexibility is the single greatest asset a technology company can have.I strive to help create environments that foster frequent spirited, but always respectful, technical discussions. I've been instrumental in elevating the level of code review at every company I've worked. Developers felt more comfortable in asking questions of others code and explaining their own to others. When others on the team may be leery of pursuing new ways to help us work together, leery of rocking the boat, I am quite comfortable putting my own neck on the line for the prospect of helping create an environment where highly-motivated people feel the freedom to pursue the great ideas they have.